Lasing-polarization-dependent output from orthogonal waveguides in high-index-contrast subwavelength grating vertical-cavity surface-emitting laser

Abstract

We propose a high-index-contrast subwavelength grating vertical-cavity surface-emitting laser (HCG-VCSEL) incorporating a polarizationindependent HCG coupled with two orthogonal in-plane output waveguides and numerically investigate the optical output characteristics from the waveguides using a three-dimensional finite-difference time-domain method. The light coupled more strongly to the waveguide in the direction perpendicular to the polarization of the resonant mode than to that in the parallel direction. The extinction ratio between the waveguides was 11.9, indicating that the output waveguide can be switched by changing the lasing polarization. The propagating modes in the strongly and weakly coupled waveguides were the TE and TM modes, respectively. © 2013 The Japan Society of Applied Physics.